


As my memory rests, but never forgets what I lost

by orphan_account



Series: Titans ficlets [3]
Category: DCU (Comics), Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Idk im half awake, M/M, dream - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-16
Updated: 2019-05-16
Packaged: 2020-03-06 03:35:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18842809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: A little ramble cause I felt sad and wanted these idiots





	As my memory rests, but never forgets what I lost

The 3am semi-darkness was pierced by sirens as the GCPD rush to the scene, hot on Nightwing’s heels as he swung from rooftop to rooftop, all-familiar grin on his face. There had been a call down at Gotham Harbour, another Mr. Freeze scheme. Something about the thrill it made Nightwing’s heart sing. 

His reaction caught him by surprise. There was nothing strange about this flower-shop, just an old family run business in Chinatown. The faded neon green light announcing it was currently closed. On a side of it a display reading “Happy Mother’s day!”, and suddenly he was frozen still, momentum carrying him forward until he crashed onto the neighbouring rooftop. Dick groaned in pain, pulling himself up onto the rooftop seconds before a memory hits, and the world around him is transformed. 

The big top was warm and glowing, as the snap of wires echoed through it and the halogen lights turned cold. He couldn’t hear the screaming but he could see it, and -

“Nightwing?” Wally’s voice pulled him back to the present, “dude, when are you getting here? I can’t take many more cold puns,”  
Dick sat up, and a sharp pain spiked across his side. That’s definitely a bruised rib, if not worse, he thought to himself.  
“I’ll be there in a flash,” Dick banters back at his boyfriend, and a smile formed on his face with the knowledge that Wally was rolling his eyes at the other side of the com.  
“Where are you, dickhead?”  
“Jefferson avenue, babe,” Dick replied, his turn to roll his eyes at a cheap pun. 

Wally appeared instants later, a cheshire like smile on his face.  
“Need a lift? What, you were taking too long,” the speedster says. 

Gotham harbour was in chaos when the pair arrived, Scarecrow having joined in on the fun. What few civilians were around to begin with had now been evacuated, letting the four heroes on the scene do their jobs. Everything was going according to Dick’s plan. 

Then Freeze’s freeze machine went haywire, and Nightwing found himself flying through the air in a bad way. His hands and feet stung as the cold took over all his senses, and the world around him went dark. 

Getting knocked out under the effects of fear gas was always a trip. Dick kept witnessing his parents fall over and over again, unable to help, unable to catch them like he’s supposed to. Then the dream transformed into a different memory. 

In springtime in New Jersey, the circus was setting up. Dick, restless from being cooped up for so many hours, ran around, springing into a cartwheel and landed in front of his mom. Mary laughed, running a hand through Dick’s hair before sending him off on chores. The warmth of the memory all but brought tears to his eyes. When he turned back to look at his mother again, she’d transformed into a lifeless tortured form before his very eyes. 

In his eight year old form, the fear of talons was much more potent, sending Dick scrambling. He ran, searching for his father, only to find that he too is the same: near invincible, deadly, and undead. Panic started to cloud his senses as he once again fled the scene, desperately trying to find help. He saw a familiar figure - Haly himself- and approached him, more cautious this time. 

Except Haly wasn’t alone. Haly had company: a man with jersey accent that was impossible to miss-place. Hiding behind a caravan he could hear snippets of the conversation.

“....You can tell Tony Zucco to stick his so called protection up his a-“  
“Haly!” Dick exclaimed, running towards the old man and hugging him. In response all he got was a snarl, and as the talon reached for him the ground beneath his feet opened up. 

He was falling. The world was red. 

The red of Wally’s costume, hair and blood were all different shades. Dick’s hands were covered in one of them, desperately trying to stop his boyfriend from bleeding to death.  
“Wally. Look at me, hey. Wally, please. Wally-“ 

“Shhh, I’m right here.” Wally’s thumb was tracing circles into the back of Dick’s hand, and as the acrobat opened his eyes he was met with a warm smile.  
“You gave me quite a scare.”

Dick didn’t speak, just pulled the redhead closer, burying his face into his chest. Wally’s heart beat was always a comfort, even more so now after the fear gas dreams. Wally, bless him, didn’t question anything, simply climbing into the bed with him and holding him. The heat radiating from Wally’s body, along with the constant ba-dump of his heart and the soothing circles he was tracing out on Dick’s back were enough to calm him down. 

“I saw my parents,” Dick said, ready to talk, “and I saw talons.”  
“For fear gas dreams, those sound like your regular nightmares, babe,” Wally replied, reassuring.  
Dick’s next breath was shaky. His voice hitched slightly before he spoke: “and I saw you.”  
“Dick, I’m fine. I’m right here.”  
“I know.”  
“I’m not leaving,” Wally continued,  
“You may not have a choice,” the smaller of the duo replied, and Wally laughed.  
“Alright, then I’m not leaving willingly, is that better?” Dick nodded in response, settling more comfortably in the embrace. He counted heart beats, matching his own.  
“Wally,”  
“Yeah, rob?”  
“I love you.” Dick caught himself by surprise, as the words left his mouth. They hadn’t been together for long, and taking any new step always felt risky. Wally was silent for longer than Dick would have liked.  
“I love you too, idiot,” he finally spoke, pressing a soft kiss on Dick’s forehead, “now rest, please, or I’ll tell Alfred.” 

Dick chuckled, and complied, letting a dreamless sleep carry him away.


End file.
